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Your letters for Friday, May 13: Trudeau's travels

Author of the article:

Ottawa Citizen Editorial Board

Publishing date:

May 13, 2016 • 3 minute read

Margaret Trudeau, mother of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, garners applause as she is introduced by U.S. President Barack Obama during a state dinner in Washington March 10.Paul Chiasson/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Your letters for Friday, May 13: Trudeau's travelsBack to video

I was truly appalled at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s lack of judgment in bringing such an entourage to Washington, including some family and friends with no apparent government business to accomplish. It’s my hope that some brave soul might gently remind our young leader that ultimately, it’s not HIS money to dispense so freely.

Such extravagance also sets a poor example for his cabinet and other politicians.

Richard Fisher, Osgoode Village

Report on Trudeau’s travel just sour grapes

What a totally-zero article. Twelve wasted paragraphs on nothing. You guys are obviously getting desperate for material that amounts to criticism of the current government. Sour grapes, anyone?

Brian Tansey, Ottawa

Rebuilding for the 22nd century?

Re: Letters to the editor, May 7.

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I appreciated the letter from Richard Waterfall. As a relatively elderly person with some physical “challenges,” I recently remarked to my Para Transpo driver that I hoped to live long enough to see all this construction finished. His reply? “You won’t.”

On recalculating, I then offered to this relatively young man the hope that all would be finished in his lifetime. He did not reply.

Renie Grosser, Ottawa

Speed cameras change behaviour

Re: Photo radar debate filled with cheap shots, May 10.

Most of the statistics and arguments around photo radar do not consider its primary beneficial achievement. In almost all jurisdictions and municipalities where it has been introduced, it has changed driver behaviour. This change of behaviour has opened safer road use to many more – primarily cyclists and pedestrians – who no longer feel intimidated by speeding traffic.

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In these municipalities, the greater and more varied use of roads distorts the accident statistics, which do not show the real benefits. It is not only about school zones, or accident statistics. It is about forcing a change to a more responsible mode of behaviour, and with it a more pleasant environment for all.

In the United Kingdom, speed limits are mostly generally obeyed today, whereas prior to the introduction of photo radar, they were not. Legislation there requires advance warning and clear marking of the presence of photo radar, making it neither clandestine nor surreptitious. Yet it works.

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In Ottawa, almost every motor vehicle that is not constrained by traffic or junction conditions is exceeding the posted speed limit, many by a significant amount. We need photo radar. Experience in other places tells us that it works.

Peter Chapman, Kanata

Two world events ignored

I am appalled that the Ottawa Citizen and other western media have generally ignored or downplayed two international humanitarian cultural events: one in the ancient city of Palmyra on the occasion of Martyrs’ Day in Syria, and the second at Victory Day in Russia.

The first event brought the famous St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, headed by Maestro Valery Gergiev, to Palmyra, six weeks after ISIL was forced out, as a celebration and in gratitude to all those who fight terrorism and sacrifice their lives.

The second event, May 9 in Moscow, commemorated 71 years since the defeat of Nazi forces and the memory of Second World War veterans. The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in defence of the country and of freedom for the world. More than 40 countries took part in this memorial, which attracted 800,000 participants to the Moscow parade.

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